Report: Norm Coleman set to challenge Steele next year for RNC chair?

posted at 6:34 pm on July 22, 2010 by Allahpundit

Nothing’s certain yet, but he’s “intrigued” by the possibility. Note well: According to a “senior party operative,” the feelers being put out here aren’t from Coleman to prominent Republicans but rather from prominent Republicans to Coleman. I wonder why party apparatchiks would be so eager to line up a new RNC chairman months in advance. Any theories?

After losing his Senate reelection in 2008 by just 312 votes, Coleman became CEO of the American Action Network (AAN), a center-right organization designed to amplify conservative ideas and bolster conservative candidates. The group has recently begun spending considerable cash to air ads meant to help Republican Senate hopefuls in Washington and Florida and, along with other third-party outfits on the right that have sprung up in the last year, is expected to help fill the void left by the RNC’s fundraising struggles.

By virtue of his leadership with the group and his losing bid and high-profile recount against now-Sen. Al Franken, a despised figure on the right, Coleman has extensive national contacts in the GOP fundraising world and could help fill the party’s coffers in the run-up to the 2012 presidential election cycle…

“He understands it’s a fundraising job,” said one senior Republican, who has talked to Coleman about the RNC post. “And he’s got really good contacts in New York.”

Potholes on the road to the chairmanship: Coleman may dig his current job at AAN; the current membership of the RNC may be lukewarm to an “outsider”; and Coleman’s reputation for being a bit of a squish in the Senate may create unhappiness within the committee. Which is not to say, of course, that they’d rather keep Steele, but merely that they might look within their own ranks for an alternative. As for why Coleman might do it, it’d put him back into a media spotlight and position him well to run for Minnesota governor in case there’s an opportunity on the GOP side in 2014. Or am I just trying to talk myself into this idea? Exit question: Is this story really just a way by committee chiefs to ramp up pressure on Steele not to run again? They don’t want to have to vote against the first black chairman, however painful his tenure might have been thus far. If he sees big names like Coleman on the horizon and decides not to run, it’d be much easier.

With all due respect, why would we, as Republicans, want to install someone as RNC chair if they were so much of a failure as a US Senator they allowed Al Franken to take their place? Until he can prove otherwise, I would vote a big “no” for Mr. Coleman as RNC chair.

The reason Coleman is perfect is that he’s trusted by both center right and harder right. He may disagree with you on some things, but he’ll do it privately, and won’t stab anyone in the back. Unlike Steele, he understands what the job is. It’s not a platform for promoting himself.

The guy was NOT beaten by a clown, the clown cheated while finding some mysterious lost ballots in the trunk of a car. Please! The liberals will call the RNC racist for electing a white man to replace a black man. Anyone else tired of being called racist?

The Stink at the RNC isnt Mike Steele (even though I never thought he was up to the job to make the changes needed) the stink comes from the special interests there.

The RNC is really run by two crowds. The Washington insideres who steer the RNC to back candidate who wont “Rock the boat” and make the long time Washingtonian GOPers look bad. The other group is the RNC “Consulting firms” who make millions off of GOP candidates and get recomendations from the RNC.

Will tell you a tale. I tried to work with the William Russell campaign against John Murtha in 2008. I even talked to his campaign manager.

Well it seems the RNC had “recommended” this washington based consulting firm to the Russell campaign telling them that it would be their best chance for victory. The Price tag I believe cost the Russell campaign thousands of dollars NOT FOR CAMPAIGNING BUT JUST TO HIRE THE FIRM !

Money Bill Rusell could have used to win a campaign was wasted to fund a washington insider consulting firm recomended by the RNC.

I live in Minnesota. Franken didn’t run against Coleman as much as he ran against George W. Bush. I’d say the guy who won that race was Franken’s lawyer. Picking a smart ruthless election lawyer was the cleverest thing Al’s ever done.

With all due respect, why would we, as Republicans, want to install someone as RNC chair if they were so much of a failure as a US Senator they allowed Al Franken to take their place? Until he can prove otherwise, I would vote a big “no” for Mr. Coleman as RNC chair.

Weebork on July 22, 2010 at 6:46 PM

It wasn’t Coleman’s fault, it was the venue.

1). This is the same state that elected Keith Ellison to the House.

2). The illegal felon vote pushed Franken over the top.

By all rights, Coleman should still be Senator. In any other state, he would be.

Please stop it with the suggestions for Sarah to head the RNC. That would be a waste of her talent as someone who stands to be in the lead to run for President. Remember, this position is best served out of the limelight.

This guy didn’t do anything while Al Franken STOLE an election with the entire nation watching. I didn’t think you could do worse than Steele, but this is it.

Vegi on July 22, 2010 at 7:01 PM

There really was nothing Coleman could do. Just like, if you get pulled over for speeding in Mexico, on your way home, at midnight by Mexican cops, you’re going home with an empty wallet. It doesn’t matter how fast or slow you were going. You’re just grateful they didn’t take your car too.

I was going to say. We’d be much better off with a big state, Midwestern, (old) rust belt, large electoral count conservative representative where there’s much more swing possibilities, than an East Coast squish who lives with one foot in his mouth.

The guy was NOT beaten by a clown, the clown cheated while finding some mysterious lost ballots in the trunk of a car. Please! The liberals will call the RNC racist for electing a white man to replace a black man. Anyone else tired of being called racist?

Atlanta Media Guy on July 22, 2010 at 6:51 PM

I could care less what anyone says. Steele had his chance and he blew it – big time. He knows it, too.

If you want to be an eeyore, to right ahead. Just sit in a corner by yourself, ok? This sort of BS simply doesn’t carry any weight these day.

Umm, arn’t we talking about a guy who blew it against a pathological liar who couldn’t figure out his own taxes? A guy showed such utter contempt for his constituency that he actually left “his state” when given a choice and didn’t come back for over 40 years? (And then only returned to be installed as senator. In other words he only came back because no matter what happened he knew he’d be leaving those chumps being win or lose.) Should I mention the obvious anger control issues the guy has? I mean if you can’t beat a guy like that I’m not sure what you can do.

I was going to say. We’d be much better off with a big state, Midwestern, (old) rust belt, large electoral count conservative representative where there’s much more swing possibilities, than an East Coast squish who lives with one foot in his mouth.

Dusty on July 22, 2010 at 7:11 PM

Going into 2012, we need someone who, when needed, can deliver an uppercut Obama and any Dem throwing the race card. Blackwell is an unabashed conservative who’s all business. The GOP would not have to worry about a sideshow.

The guy was NOT beaten by a clown, the clown cheated while finding some mysterious lost ballots in the trunk of a car. Please! The liberals will call the RNC racist for electing a white man to replace a black man. Anyone else tired of being called racist?

Atlanta Media Guy on July 22, 2010 at 6:51 PM

Sorry, but the guy ran against the clown, and the clown’s in the Senate. It certainly does appear that the clown stole the seat from him, but what I fail to see is why that would make me want a guy in this job who let a clown steal his Senate seat–if you prefer that construction.

Absolutely NOT. I agree with whomever said, republican insiders /RINOs just want one of their own. Allah shame on you for not pointing out this man is once removed from being a Democrat. The man was a Democrat Mayor of St Paul, this would be like electing Charlie Crist RNC Chairman. You should be ashamed of not presenting the whole story here. This would be a travesty if Coleman were to become RNC Chairman.

You would think that the RNC voters finally have it figured out that being a former or current member of the RNC doesn’t mean you will make a good chair. Ken Blackwell, IMHO, would have been a much better chair but he was never a member of the RNC.

The RNC needs to get the best person for the job and who cares if they were not a former RNC member. In fact, maybe it is time the National Committee people were term limited because that seems to be where ‘it has always been done this way’ comes from. We need to think outside the box.

Coleman=Jeb Bush=Mitt Romneycare//ie, the socialist & open borders wing of the party.

james23 on July 22, 2010 at 10:33 PM

Also, don’t forget Senator Coleman was only too happy to starve us of abundant cheap energy and force us into expensive “green” energy. Norm also came out publicly against the Bush tax cuts, but did vote for them after we lit up his phone lines.

Coleman allowed Al and the democrats to steal the election from him. I personally want someone who is willing to do what it takes to expose the communist/progressives for what the are, what they do and what they really want for America. In the year of the woman, How about Hannah Giles?